Socialists Maintain Electoral Preference in France

Paris, Dec 22. -The presidential candidate of the French Socialist Party, Francois Hollande, leads vote intentions for the first and second round of elections next year, according to a survey published here Wednesday.In the initial round, which will take place in April, Hollande would obtain 27 percent of votes, whereas his closest rival, incumbent French President Nicolas Sarkozy, would wub 24 percent.

The survey, published by the daily Liberation, shows that Marine Le Pen, of the ultra-rightwing National Front, in the third place with 16 percent of votes, followed by Francois Bayrou, from the Democratic Movement (14), and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, from the Leftwing Front (7.5).

According to the poll, in the second round, Hollande would win with an ample margin of 57 percent of votes, followed by Sarkozy with 43.

The survey was carried out from December 16 to 19, and involved 983 people of over 18 years of age. (Prensa Latina)